Car-door closure.



' No. 869,919. PATENTED NOV. 5, 1907.'

J. M.. LUGAR.

' GAR DOOR CLOSURE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 29, 1907.

atto'nwng TEE STATES JOHN M. LUGAR, OF OTTERBEIN, INDIANA.

CAR-DOOR CLOSURE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 5, 1907.

Application filed April 29,1907. Serial No. 370.961.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN M. LUGAR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Otterbein, in the county of Benton and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Door Closures, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to closures for the doorways'of grain cars, and has for its object the provision of a de vice of this character which is controllable from the exterior of the car and which is adapted to effectually prevent grain or like material from sifting out around the ordinary doorway of the car.

It is a well known fact that large quantities of grain are lost in transit when shipped in cars of the ordinary construction and it has long been the custom to place boards across the inside of the doorways of the cars in addition to the use of the ordinary sliding door, these boards forming a closer fit than the door proper and more effectually preventing the sifting out of the grain. It has, however, been customary to nail these boards in position. Consequently it has required considerable time to remove them and the timbers forming the sides of the doorway soon become so split and torn, that they will no longer hold the nails. It is to obviate this difficulty that the present invention is particularly designed.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the detailed description which now follows.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 is a side elevation of portion of a freight car having my invention applied thereto, Fig. 2 is a vertical section looking from the inside of the car toward the doorway thereof, and, Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of clamping members hereinafter described.

Like numerals designate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawing.

Referring to the drawing the numeral 5 designates the body of a freight car and the numeral 6 indicates the open doorway thereof. A door 7 of the usual and well known construction is mounted to slide upon a rod 8, this door being located upon the exterior of the car.

In carrying out my invention I provide a plurality of boards 9 which are adapted to rest against the inner faces of the doorway as is best illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 3 and it is in the provision of means for clamping these boards in position that the present invention particularly resides: Clamping strips 10 preferably of metal, though they may be formed of other material if desired, are secured as at 12 to the floor of the car and close to the sides of the doorway. At their upper ends these clamping strips carry straps 13 and passing through these straps are crank arms 14 which are formed integral with a rock shaft 15. This rock shaft is supported in bearings 16 and carries at its free end a crank arm 17 to which one end of a chain 18 is secured, this chain passing through an opening 19 formed in the side of the car and over a grooved pulley 20. A spring 21 normally tends to elevate the crank arm 17 to hold the parts in the position illustrated in Fig. 3.

As has been before stated the chain passes through an opening 19 and at its outer end is secured to a rod 22. This rod 22 is provided with the curved end 23 and is pivoted at 24 to a lever 25, this lever being pivoted at 26 to the side of the car. The lever 25 is slotted at 27 for the reception of a sealing member 28. As long as this sealing member 28 is in position, unauthorized persons are prevented from tampering with the contents of the car, as will be presently set forth.

A strap 29 is secured by fastening devices such as screws 30 to the inside wall of the car, said strap having -an offset portion 31 behind which the end of the lower most board 9 is adapted to slide.

The operation of the device is as follows: It is to be understood that there is sufficient space between the clamping members 10 and the inner face of the wall of the car, to receive the boards 9. As the car is loaded, these boards are placed in position and after the car has been loaded, the lever 25 is swung over to the position illustrated in Fig. 1. This throws the pivot point 24 over beyond the pivot point 26. In other words, the pivot point 24 is moved over the center so that there is no tendency for it to return when released. This movement of the lever 25 of course pulls down upon the rod 22 and consequently pulls upon the chain. This draws the crank arm 17 down against the tension of the spring 21 and rocks the shaft 15. This rocking movement of the shaft 15 throws the crank arms 14 downwardly and consequently forces the clamping strips against the boards 9 to bind the boards firmly in position without the use of nails or like fastening devices. After the seal 28 has been placed in position only the breaking of the seal will permit the movement of the lever 25 to the left in Fig. 1 that is necessary to release the locking members just described.

When it is desired to unload the grain, however, the seal may be readily removed and the lever 25 thrown over to the left in Fig. 1. This releases the rod 22 and permits the spring 21 to act to return the parts to the position shown in Fig. 3. The consequent movement of the clamping strips 10 releases the boards and they may be shoved back to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 and the grain may then be readily removed from the car. The upper and smaller boards may be entirely removed if desired and only the wide lower board shoved back, as is illustrated in said Fig. 2.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that simple and efiicient means are herein provided for accomplishing the objects of the invention, but while the elements shown and described are well adapted to serve the purposes for which they are intended, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction set forth, but includes within its purview such changes as may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim, is:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination with a car, of a clamping member located upon each side of the doorway of the car. a plurality of boards adapted to be clamped between said clamping members and the wall of the car, a rock shaft for imparting movement to said clamping members, means controllable from the exterior of the car for actuating said rock shaft, said means comprising a pivoted lever. and a connection between one end of said pivoted lever and said rock shaft.

2. In a device of the character described, the combina tion with a car, of a pair of clamping members located at the opposite sides of the doorway of said car, a rock shaft mounted for rocking movement over the doorway of the car, said rock shaft being provided with crank arms which engage the clamping members, a plurality of boards adapted to be clamped in position by the clamping members when said rock shaft is actuated in one direction, and means controllable from the exterior of the car for actuating said rock shaft.

In a device of the character described, the combination with a car, of a pair of clamping members located at the opposite sides of the doorway of said car, a rock shaft mounted for rocking movement over the doorway of the car, said rock shaft being provided with crank arms which engage the clamping members, a plurality of boards adapted to be clamped in position by the clamping in'embers when said rock shaft is actuated in one direction, means controllable from the exterior of the car for actuat- 1 ing said rock shaft, and a spring normally tending to throw said rock shaft in one direction.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination with a car, of a pair of clamping members located at the opposite sides of the doorway of said car, a rock shaft mounted for rocking movement over the doorway of the car, said rock shaft being provided with crank arms which engage the clamping members, a plurality of boards adapted to he clamped in position by the clamping membersv when said rock shaft is actuated in one direction,

ing said rock shaft, a pivoted lever mounted upon the outside of the car, and a connection between said rock shaft and said pivoted lever. I

5. In a device of the character described, the combination with a car. of a pair of clamping members located at the opposite sides of the doorway of said car, a rock shaft mounted for rocking movement over the doorway of the car, said rock shaft: being provided with crank arms which engage the clamping members. a plurality of boards adapted to be clamped in position by the clamping members when said rock shaft is actuated in one direction, means controllable from the exterior of the car for actuating said rock shaft, a pivoted lever mounted upon the outside of the car, a connection between said rock shaft and said pivoted lever. and means for sealing said pivoted lever against movement.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN M. LUGAR.

Witnesses 1:. II. BoL'r, ELMER A. HAWKIXS,

means controllable from the exterior of the car for actuat- 

